National Staff Counsellor

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Position Title: National Staff Counsellor
Location: Kyiv
Country: Ukraine
Deadline Date:

Job Details

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is an agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Established in 1945, FAO has over 194 member countries and works in more than 130 countries worldwide. The organization aims to achieve security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO's mission is to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, and to make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable. In Ukraine, FAO is focused on restoring agrifood systems and providing multisectoral humanitarian assistance in response to the ongoing war, which has severely impacted the agricultural sector and food security.

Job Overview:
The National Staff Counsellor position is crucial in supporting the mental health and well-being of FAO employees in Ukraine. This role involves implementing a mental health support plan tailored to the unique challenges faced by employees in the context of the ongoing conflict. The Counsellor will work closely with clients, employees, and their dependents to provide psychosocial-support" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">psychosocial support, facilitate healthy work practices, and promote resilience among staff. The position requires a combination of in-office presence and home-based work, ensuring that the Counsellor can effectively address the needs of personnel across various locations in Ukraine. The role is designed to mitigate stress and enhance the overall psychological health of employees, particularly in emergency situations.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The National Staff Counsellor will have a wide range of responsibilities, including: facilitating effective psychosocial support for FAO personnel, particularly in emergency locations; supporting employees in adopting healthy work practices and resilience strategies; providing individual and group counselling as needed; identifying and building a network of external mental health providers; extending psychosocial support to country offices through FAO Security; assessing and monitoring the psychosocial needs of employees; designing and delivering training and awareness-raising activities on trauma and healthy workplace practices; and providing Critical Incident Stress Management following critical incidents. The Counsellor will adopt a holistic approach to critical incident management, which may include practical support, psycho-education, psychological first aid, and strategic advice to leadership.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in counselling, clinical psychology, or a related field. Alternatively, a first-level university degree in these fields, combined with two additional years of relevant work experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. Additionally, candidates should have at least five years of work experience in staff support, mental health, cross-cultural communications, counselling, or related areas, preferably within the UN system or the international development/humanitarian aid sector. A working knowledge of English and Ukrainian at Level C is also required.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree in counselling, clinical psychology, or a related field. In cases where candidates hold a first-level university degree in the aforementioned fields, they must also have two additional years of relevant work experience to be considered eligible. This educational foundation is essential for understanding the complexities of mental health support and counselling in a diverse and challenging environment.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of relevant work experience in areas such as staff support, mental health, cross-cultural communications, and counselling. Experience within the UN system or the international development/humanitarian aid sector is highly preferred, as it provides valuable insights into the unique challenges faced by personnel in these contexts. Candidates should demonstrate a proven ability to work independently and prioritize their workload effectively.

Languages:
Candidates must have a working knowledge of English and Ukrainian at Level C. Proficiency in another official UN language or a local language of the region is considered an asset, as it can enhance communication and support for a diverse workforce.

Additional Notes:
This position is home-based in Kyiv, Ukraine, but will require some in-office presence in any of FAO Ukraine’s field offices. The role is full-time and involves working closely with employees in a high-stress environment due to the ongoing conflict. Candidates should be prepared for the challenges associated with providing mental health support in such a context. Additional training or certification in Trauma and Stress Management is considered an advantage, as is experience working in multiple locations or areas of work. Knowledge of the UN System's internal policies, practices, and procedures is highly desirable.